My Beautiful Rescue
by Hypothetical Situation
Summary: After years of silence, Helga finally figures out what it feels like to be loved back. A/H. Songfic - 'My Beautiful Rescue' This Providence.


A/N: Why hello again, patient readers. :) I'm glad for multiple reasons: one, that I finally was able to finish this story and post it; two, that, if I do say so myself, this whole project came out beautifully; and three, that I actually still have somewhat of a fan base reading my stories, even after such procrastination on my part. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it tremendously! So sit back, relax, and read!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the _Hey Arnold! _series, including characters and setting. I also do not own the This Providence song, 'My Beautiful Rescue'.

* * *

Concrete pavement covered the bottom of the deadly fall. Sounds of car horns and skidding tires could faintly be heard from the streets nearby. Staring down once again at the steep drop, the girl breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. Her black and pink Converse balanced on the tip of the ledge. Inside, she knew that she was putting her life on the line, but she didn't have a care in the world. Taking one last deep breath, she bent her knees…and jumped.

**I've been jumping from the tops of buildings,  
For the thrill of the fall,  
Ignoring sound advice.  
And any thought of consequence. **

Landing on the rooftop brought both joy and anger to her. Getting caught peeping at the one you love through his skylight is an event that would make any teenage girl want to die from embarrassment. But dying before telling that boy about your feelings would have every girl begging for her life back. Helga's thoughts always focused on the boy with the cornflower hair, but during her routine rooftop catapults, she concentrated solely on her lonely and desolate future. Only when her shoes plant themselves on solid ground once again will her mind replay the dangerous stunt and all of the hazards it presented. Yet throughout it all, she still continues performing the risky act, hoping someday, she won't have to fly like a bird in the sky to get her freedom.

**My bones are shattered.  
My pride is shattered.  
And in the midst of this self-inflicted pain,  
I can see my beautiful rescue. **

The Pataki home lay silent as Bob Pataki slept on his favorite purple armchair, the light from the muted television illuminating his body. As Helga pushed the front door shut, she felt a twang in her wrist, causing her to wince and pull back abruptly. Glancing at the pained area, she saw no cuts or bruises. She shrugged it off, continuing the all too familiar trek toward her bedroom.

Posters of rock bands and pictures of past concerts Helga attended covered the walls so much, that a visitor would never be aware of the pink walls of her pre-teen years that lay underneath. As Helga grew older, her taste in clothing and music changed drastically. Once a bully, Helga traded in her childish ways for a more civilized life. Her middle school years were spent dressed in pink and girly outfits, all the while treating everybody with respect and care. However, Helga soon realized that her manners were giving people reason to walk all over her. At the start of high school, peers were surprised to see a whole new Helga – dark, gloomy, antisocial. She isolated herself from others and refused to speak with anybody, including teachers. School became an issue when she began to fail her classes, but Helga continued with her unsociable ways.

She approached the floor-length mirror that stood tall in the back of the room. Her dreary eyes stared unblinkingly at those in the reflection. Helga knew that the mirror was the only thing to see through her façade, tearing down with ease the wall she constantly put up around her. The dark clothes melted away and her features became lighter and more elegant. This was the only place Helga felt at peace with the world.

Her eyes traveled down her whole body, taking in every detail the mirror provided. Soon, the blue irises caught sight of her swelling wrist. She clenched her fist, but did not pull back when the soaring pain shot through her arm. Instead, she locked her jaw and breathed in deeply. Even though the clothes she adorned while staring into the mirror were drastically different, the scars left on her body remained eminent. Every scratch and mark on her skin was a sign of weakness - signs that even her own reflection couldn't hide.

Helga squeezed her fist once more, putting endless amounts of pressure on her wrist. The pain became so strong that it brought tears to her large eyes. Trying hard not to let the salty water droplets fall, she shut her eyes tightly. After high school began, Helga never wanted anybody to see her cry, including herself. Crying was another sign of weakness and she definitely did not want to be taken advantage of because of it.

Her body slowly adapted to the sting in her wrist and it soon subsided. Slowly, she allowed herself to open her eyes to the reflection in the mirror. Behind her was a pair of green irises staring at her lovingly. The owner of those piercing green eyes wrapped his arms around Helga's waist and sat his chin upon her slumping shoulder. Immediately, she knew why the ache had disappeared –

Her savior had come and rescued her.

**I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word I withhold.  
I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word you say.  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you.  
**

The hallways buzzed with talkative students as the final bell of the day chirped loudly. Fridays brought joy and excitement to most teenagers as they conversed with others about their plans for the next two days. Every clique Helga passed in the hallway was vigorously chatting to one another, not bothering to hide every detail of their weekend. Books in hand, Helga shuffled towards her locker. As she tried to dial the combination, her History book, which had been placed on the top of the pile, slid from her hands and landed on the dirty floor below.

Quickly, a shadow appeared at her side. The same green eyes that took her pain away the other day were now crouched on the ground next to her, scooping up her textbook. As Helga turned to face the figure, he stood erect quickly and locked eyes with hers. She sucked in a breath as she heard his voice say, "You dropped this."

Without verbally acknowledging his gracious act, she grabbed the book from his hands and placed it in her locker, along with the other books she held in her arms. The boy by her side continued to stand there, seemingly mesmerized by her actions. A call from across the hall broke the silence between them. "Hey, Arnold! You coming to the football game tonight?"

The green-eyed boy turned towards the voice slightly, not once taking his eyes off Helga. "Yeah, I'll…um, be there."

Helga slammed the door to her locker, making Arnold flinch in surprise. She swiveled her body and began walking down the narrow hallway, still crowded with teens. His eyes lingered for a while on her disappearing figure, consciously unaware that she was leaving. Once the blood resumed flowing to his head, he took off sprinting in her direction.

"Helga, wait!" he called out to her. However, his voice failed to halt the retreating girl. Realizing his attempts were unsuccessful, he increased his speed and when he was close enough, grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to look back at him.

"I, uh…just wanted to ask you…" Arnold hesitated. Helga's face displayed her slight annoyance with the cornflower haired boy.

Arnold took a deep breath and muttered, "Did you want to come to the game with me tonight?" The blank look continued to grace Helga's features, while a defeated one was formed on Arnold's. "Right, sorry. Forget I asked. I'll…I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" With a final sigh, he walked sadly away from the lost opportunity.

Helga looked up towards the diminishing figure. Only a talented observer could have seen the bright smile that shone through her eyes.

**I've been dancing on the tops of buildings.  
At the top of my lungs I'm singing you a song.  
Don't you leave me alone.  
My bones were shattered.  
My pride lays shattered.  
Well I'll trample my pride and tell the whole world,  
To dance with me.  
**

Her favorite song played in her head as she threw her body rooftop to rooftop. Each step was timed perfectly with the tune, pausing only as she took her leaps of faith. She would often stop at random and take a small break to dance. It wouldn't last long, though – she needed to keep herself focused on the true purpose of her trip.

As she neared her destination, the intensity of the song deceased and became quieter. The final catapult towards his building ended in silence, as she carefully approached the skylight. Immediately, she ducked down, noticing the cornflower hair peeking out from beneath the bed sheets. As she slowly moved her head to get a better view, she realized the boy was sleeping and would not see her regardless of her position. Taking advantage of the situation, Helga moved herself so that she was outside of the windowpane that stood above the foot of the bed. She pressed her hand up against the cold glass, her eyes full of sorrow.

Staring at the faint reflection of herself in the window, she imagined what it would be like if she were beside him, peacefully sleeping on the bed. She always dreamed about what his arms would feel like wrapped around her body, holding her tight. But she knew in her heart things would never work out the way she hoped; Arnold would never share her feelings.

The cornflower hair that was once motionless began to shift slightly. Helga's eyes flickered towards the source of the movement. Instantly, she ducked down so as not to be seen, yet aligned herself so that she could still view the awakening boy.

Arnold rose from his position on the bed, eyes still halfway closed. In a slumped posture, he shuffled towards his closet and began to look through its contents for a suitable outfit. While his back was turned, Helga had the most overwhelming urge to enter his room through the skylight and finally tell him how she has felt for so long. The hand that was once pressed up against the glass resumed its place on the window, prepared to push against it and allow her access to the room below. Just as Helga prepped herself for the life-changing event, her mind ran through all of the potential scenarios, good and bad. Thoughts of rejection and sadness drove her to the edge, and her hand slipped off the window to the ground below. From there, she pushed herself from her crouched posture and fled the scene as fast as she could manage.

Below, Arnold turned his head towards a squeaky noise from above. For a split second, his eyes caught sight of a lock of golden blonde hair. He resumed searching his closet, a small smile evident on his face.

**I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word I withhold.  
I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word you say.  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you again.  
**

"Alright, class, please take your seats and quiet down," an older teacher announced to her students. The hustle of teens walked carelessly to their desks while some continued more quietly with their previous conversations. "Turn around, Harold," she directed towards a largely built figure. The boy grumbled and sighed, but ultimately gave in to his teacher's demands. "Now, please take out your homework from last night. We will be presenting your work out loud in front of the class."

A gaggle of groans and protests erupted throughout the classroom. The teacher directed a sharp glare towards the group. Immediately, folders were thrown out of backpacks and homework assignments were planted neatly on desks. A satisfied smile was displayed on the instructor's face. "Who would like to present first?"

All eyes that had been fixated on the teacher were quickly averted. Knowing that nobody would happily volunteer, the teacher spoke up. "Harold, why don't you start us off?" The chosen boy grumbled and stomped towards the front of the classroom, homework in hand. He cleared his throat and read outloud:

_"Roses are red,  
Violets are blue.__  
Tofu is disgusting,__  
And so are you!_

_I'd rather stuff my face,__  
With double chocolate cake.  
So get out of my way,  
For goodness sakes!"_

Half of the class burst out laughing, clearly entertained by Harold's poem. The teacher glared towards the grinning boy as he walked cockily back to his seat. Sighing, she announced, "Who would like to follow that…wonderfully creative presentation by Mr. Berman?" Her eyes immediately landed on Arnold. "Arnold, why don't you give it a shot?"

The blond boy rose from his seat and stood stiffly in front of his classmates. The piece of paper he had scrawled his homework on the night before was tattered and crumpled, giving the illusion that he'd had trouble expressing himself when writing it. After a moment's hesitation, he took a deep breath and read:

_"My heart springs to life around you  
An explosion of unrequited lust  
Are you feeling the same way, too?  
Can your soul hear my heart gust?"_

He looked up from his wrinkled paper, scanning his audience for the one person that mattered most. When he found her, she was doodling on a scrap piece of paper with her chin sitting heavily upon her left hand. Her distant eyes and continuous strokes of her pen told him that she was clearly not interested in his presentation. He gave a light sigh and continued:

_"Alas, this dream can never be  
Two people who work side by side  
In a world of ever boring reality  
She gives no thought to the incoming tide."_

As he finished, he realized how well the last verse applied to the current situation. Light claps filled the air, and the instructor was smiling. "So beautiful, Arnold. It sounded like it came straight from your heart." After sliding back into his seat, Arnold glanced subtly towards where his inspiration sat.

Helga remained occupied with her idle scribbling. Now, however, her whole head was resting upon her left arm on her desk, allowing Arnold to only see the back of her head. For the rest of the class period, Arnold sat glumly in his chair, carelessly watching other classmates present their poems. When the bell rang, he took a final look towards the distant girl and heaved a sigh.

Only when the majority of the class had left the room did Helga begin to pack her things. She shoved her notebook violently in her bag, along with the pen she was drawing with earlier. Her fists clenched tightly around the straps of her bag, expressing a deep annoyance she would never verbalize.

**I'm crying out.  
"Wash my hands, these bloody hands Lord. Open my mouth and I'll sing."  
**

Once again, her pink and black Converse shoes landed hard on the rooftop's cement surface. The energy exerted from the ground entered through her foot and caused her body to lose its balance. She steadied herself and took a deep breath before continuing onwards. In a crouched position, she tiptoed quietly towards his skylight. Her eyes roamed the entirety of his bedroom, searching for a head of cornflower hair. Normally, at this time of day, Helga would watch the boy work diligently on his homework. When she could not spot a single strand, her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Hi, Helga." A dark figure emerged from his hiding place on the rooftop. Helga's head whipped sharply to her left, surprised by the sudden voice. As her brain began to comprehend whom the figure was, her eyes widened in shock and her mouth hung open slightly.

Cautiously, Arnold stepped forward. Before he could get closer to her, Helga jumped up from her crouched position and ran, preparing to jump off the boarding house and away from the problem. "Wait!" Arnold cried out to her, "I want to talk to you!" Ignoring his comment, she ran even faster.

"Helga, please!" he finally screeched. The desperation in his voice stopped her instantly. Never before had she heard him say her name like that. She exhaled softly and listened to his light footsteps advance. The clicking of his shoes came to a halt and she slowly turned her body around to face him.

Standing five feet apart, the pair looked at each other in silence. After a few moments, Arnold spoke softly. "I've seen you up here before." Immediately, Helga averted her eyes and regretted not running away when she had the chance. "But I've always been curious as to why…" Arnold continued. Helga focused her eyes on everything but the boy in front of her.

He took a step forward. Helga mentally noticed the change in distance but still refused to look up. "I've been watching you for the past few years, Helga. You're such a mysterious girl," Arnold commented. Her teeth quickly captured her bottom lip, a nervous habit of hers. "Mysterious…and puzzling. I'm always wondering what kind of thoughts are running through your head."

Helga twisted her upper body in the direction she came from, thinking of any possible way to escape the situation she was facing. She heard the slight click of his shoes once again against the ground, keeping her fully aware of how close he really was. The next sound she heard was his voice, which carried a more nervous tone than before. "You know," he started, "my grandpa always says to fight for what your heart desires."

Helga's breath visibly quickened at the subject. From behind her, Arnold had a similar reaction, feeling a bit uneasy about his next move. Sucking in a hesitant breath, he confronted her. "Helga?" Finally, nervous blue eyes met with watchful green ones. "Remember my poem in English class the other day? _My heart springs to life around you, an explosion of unrequited lust_," Her fists tightened and her eyes left his instantly, filling with anger and pain.

In his mind, he wondered why the mention of his poem brought her anger. His brow furrowed as he racked his brain for a reasonable explanation. Realization dawned on him, and he quickly recovered the lost conversation. "It wasn't just about any girl, Helga. It was about you."

Helga's head spun back towards the boy, clearly shocked by his confession. Her clenched fists were replaced by the loud pounding of her heart that shook her whole body. Arnold looked down at his shoes and rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. A sheepish smile appeared on his face. "I…I've been feeling this way for a while now." His gaze left the ground below him and locked on Helga's astonished face. "It just took me until now to finally realize and act upon it."

Besides the initial surprise that Helga had shown, Arnold could read nothing more into her facial features. He decided to pry into the situation once more. "I've really grown accustomed to these feelings, and I'd hate for them to go to waste." He paused for a moment, giving Helga time to analyze the hint his words held. After not receiving any response from her, Arnold sighed and began turning around to leave.

**I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word I withhold.  
I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word you say.  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you.  
**

Almost in an instant, a faint whimper was heard from her direction. Arnold whipped his body around to face the blonde, eyes wide. This was the first noise he ever heard escape Helga's lips since the beginning of high school. His gaze roamed the entirety of her face. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as her hands fidgeted at her side. Just as a single droplet fell down her cheek, she spread open her arms and threw them around Arnold's body. She immediately buried her face in the crook of his neck and began to sob.

Arnold held her in his arms tightly. He rubbed her back and tried to comfort her with soothing words. A few minutes past and her tears gradually began to subside. Even after her sobbing had ended, the pair remained in their embrace. Arnold became so accustomed to the sound of her breathing against his neck, that he almost didn't catch the soft words that left her mouth.

"I love you."

A small tear escaped from his eye, as he replied, "I love you too."

**I've been dancing on the tops of buildings.  
With you.**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Arnold's poem. However, I do own Harold's. :)

A/N: Yay! I love happy endings! :) In fact, this story in particular was a challenging one to write. I had wanted to create a plot line where Helga did not speak at all until the very end of the story, when they both confess their love. However, as I was writing the scene, I found it so hard not to just jump in and give Helga a big monologue about her love for him. In the end, I realized that the one line would be much more powerful, especially the phrase, 'I love you'. So it stuck. :) Thanks for reading, everybody! Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Hypothetical Situation


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